Examining Trends in Bird Populations Over 10 Years of Data from a Local Banding Station in the BC Lower Mainland

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Examining Trends in Bird Populations Over 10 Years of Data from a Local Banding Station in the BC Lower Mainland RES 500C - Vancouver Avian Research Centre (VARC) Examining trends in bird populations over 10 years of data from a local banding station in the BC Lower Mainland Authored by: Amy Liu, Carla Di Filippo, Erin Ryan April 2020 Table of contents ABSTRACT 2 RESEARCH REPORT 2 Introduction 2 Methods 4 Study area and data collection 4 Dataset management 5 Statistical Analysis 6 Results 8 Changes in local avian community through time 8 Changes in capture rates of individual species through time 11 Patterns associated with ecological guilds and their categories. 13 Discussion 16 Changes in local avian community through time 16 Changes in individual species through time 16 Trends associated with ecological guilds and their categories 19 Limitations and future research 20 Conclusion 21 SCIENCE COMMUNICATIONS 22 Education presentation 22 Social media 22 Facebook 22 Instagram 24 Twitter 25 GENERAL COMMUNICATIONS 26 2019 Annual report sample 26 Branded Powerpoint templates 27 Social media 27 Facebook 27 Instagram 28 Twitter 29 Target demographics 29 LIST OF APPENDICES 31 REFERENCES 32 1 ABSTRACT Bird monitoring programs provide the foundational data for programs that study and conserve birds. More than ever, with the uncertainty of climate change and increasing human impacts, research and monitoring to quantify species abundance are essential for our understanding of changing avian communities to guide successful conservation and management actions. This project examined 11 years (2009 - 2019) of bird banding data from a community banding station in Coquitlam, BC, Canada. The research approached three main questions: 1) Has the avian community changed over these years? 2) How have capture frequencies of individual species changed over time? 3) Can ecological factors explain the changes observed in the community and species of interest? Here, we have highlighted patterns in local abundance over time in the avian community, demonstrated case examples of decline and recovery in local species, and presented possible ecological factors that could be influencing these patterns. While migration seemed to have no correlation, avian diet showed that nectarivores were generally increasing, and significant patterns for breeding and wintering habitats are driven by small sample sizes of species with interesting trends. For the ecological categories of diet, wintering habitat, and breeding habitat, insectivores and woodland users comprise the majority of species captured at Colony Farm. These results could be due to human-influenced changes, such as changes in vegetation in the local area (affecting Brown-Headed Cowbirds) and the addition of bird feeders in the community (affecting nectarivores). Our analysis supports the importance of long-term monitoring, as ongoing avian mark-recapture data provides valuable insight into how local biodiversity and ecosystem health change over time. With an understanding of how local avian communities are changing, avian monitoring centers can adjust their goals to focus on these trends and species of concern or interest, in addition to public education, outreach, and community conservation engagement. 1. RESEARCH REPORT Introduction Over the past 50 years, wide-spread bird population declines are being reported across North America as a result of human impacts - not just in rare or endangered species, but also in species 1–3 previously considered common and widespread .​ These declines represent a net loss of nearly ​ 3 billion breeding individuals across a wide range of both habitats and species, which has serious implications for wildlife conservation and ecosystem integrity - loss of bird abundance results in 1 decreased pollination, seed dispersal, and disruptions to trophic systems .​ This staggering ​ decline in bird populations was only realized due to the long-term reliable records collected by individuals and dedicated institutions. 4–7 Monitoring bird populations is a useful tool to indicate ecosystem health and integrity .​ Birds ​ have a direct and simple cause-and-effect relationship with environmental change - they are sensitive to environmental perturbation, and play many different functional roles within 6,7 ecosystems including pollinators, seed dispersers, predators, and prey .​ Now more than ever, ​ 2 research and monitoring to quantify species abundance and assess how it changes over time are essential for our understanding of changing avian communities to guide successful conservation and management actions. For example, community monitoring efforts were responsible for detecting severe population declines in the western subspecies of Purple Martins. This data led 8 to their legal protection status, and resulted in considerable community recovery efforts .​ The ​ subspecies has since rebounded from 5 breeding pairs (1985) to more than 300 (2004) entirely 8 as a result of these efforts .​ ​ Indeed, long-term programs to monitor avian abundance provide foundational data for programs 9–11 that study and conserve birds .​ These programs are most successful with thoughtful design ​ 9 and coordination .​ Bird monitoring programs can broaden their impacts by coordinating efforts at ​ appropriate scales (e.g., for species at risk, working at the scale of their range), integrating datasets between programs (e.g., World Bird Research portal), appropriately managing data for long-term storage, encouraging citizen science data collection, and even the development of 9 continent-wide bird monitoring plans .​ ​ This project examined long-term banding and monitoring data from the Vancouver Avian Research Centre (VARC), a charitable organization dedicated to wild bird research, conservation and education. VARC conducts bird monitoring and banding, research, education, volunteer opportunities, and visitor programs at its main Colony Farm field station, in the city of Coquitlam, British Columbia (BC). VARC’s primary objective is to provide data and research support that will allow for the safeguarding of bird habitats. This safeguarding will ensure long-term survival of avian species by providing science-based strategies for bird and ecosystem conservation. VARC conducts extensive public outreach and education to raise awareness of environmental issues that relate to birds. In 2019, VARC provided volunteer opportunities and educational programs to more than 600 people, promoting conservation by giving people hands-on experience and demonstrations with birds and bird monitoring. Such outreach programs are effective for enhancing children’s knowledge of local biodiversity, and likely to result in 12 continuing conservation engagement .​ ​ In this project we examined a banding dataset spanning 10 years (2010-2019) to investigate the general patterns observed in species capture rates through time for the birds captured at VARC. We identified trends in this data using statistical models to outline local and regional bird behaviour patterns that may be due to natural (e.g., yearly fluctuations of prey or migration conditions) or anthropogenic factors (e.g., local habitat alterations, global climate change). We asked three broad questions about the avian community and individual bird species using this data: 1. Has the local avian community changed over the years of 2010-2019 at VARC? 2. How have capture frequencies of individual species changed over time? 3 3. Can ecological factors explain the changes observed in the community and species of interest? Here, we present general community patterns of avian species, as well as case studies of certain species that can be highlighted for local conservation interests and outreach. One component of VARC’s mandate is education - offering outreach opportunities to hundreds of people every year. To help communicate the value of the work that VARC does, and translate this research project to non-scientists, we have also included a few science communication elements in our results. With an understanding of how local avian communities are changing, avian monitoring centers like VARC can adjust their goals to focus on community and species trends and aid species of concern or interest, in addition to public education, outreach, and community conservation engagement. Methods Study area and data collection VARC operates a network of mist nets during spring migration, summer breeding, and fall migration seasons (Figure 1). On any given banding day, as many as 40 mist nets are in operation, depending on weather conditions and the availability of qualified volunteers. Banding operations begin at sunrise (or just before), and last 5 hours. During banding sessions, each captured bird is safely extracted from the mist net and processed. Captured birds were identified to species, sexed, aged, and fitted with a uniquely numbered Canadian Wildlife Service band, and, when possible, subjected to additional measurements and data collection (e.g., wing length, fat score, weight). Data collection also occurred on any captured birds that had been previously captured to facilitate long-term assessment of known individual birds. As part of the banding operation, during each banding session daily activity was recorded, including net hours, weather, personnel and bird observations of non-banded birds. 4 Figure 1. Aerial view of Vancouver Avian Research Center (VARC) banding station at Colony ​ Farm Regional Park. Dataset management We standardized the number of captures by capture effort (i.e., net hours) in a given year 13 (according to annual net hours in Table 1 of VARC’s annual report )​ to
Recommended publications
  • Pinecrest Golf Course
    Pinecrest Golf Course Birds on the Course In North America the Red-tailed Hawk is one of three species colloquially known as the “chicken hawk” or "hen hawk" even though chickens are not a major part of their diet. They were given this name in earlier times, when free-ranging chickens were preyed upon by first-year juveniles. They are also called buzzard hawks or red hawks. Red-tailed Hawks are easily recognized by their brick-red colored tails, from which its common name was derived. In the wild, they are expected to live for 10 -21 years. They reach reproductive maturity when they are about 3 years old. The Red-tailed Hawks is a bird of prey found in North and Central America, and in the West Indies. Throughout their range, they typically live in forests near open country or - depending on their range - in swamps, taigas and deserts. This species is legally protected in Canada, Mexico and the United States by the international Migratory Bird Treaty Act. In the United States, they are also protected by state, provincial and federal bird protection laws, making it illegal to keep hawks (without a permit) in captivity, or to Red-Tailed Hawk hunt them; disturb nests or eggs; even collecting their feathers is against the law. Red-Shouldered Hawk The Red-shouldered Sharp- Hawk is a medium-sized Hawk. A common Shinned forest-dwelling hawk of the East and California, Hawk the Red-shouldered Hawk favors woodlands near water. It is perhaps The sharp-shinned hawk is small with blue-gray upper parts and rufous bars on white the most vocal under parts.
    [Show full text]
  • History of the Common Rosefinch in Britain and Ireland, 1869-1996
    HISTORY OF THE COMMON ROSEFINCH IN BRITAIN AND IRELAND, 1869-1996 D. I. M. WALLACE Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus (D. I. M. Wallace) ABSTRACT Forty-five years ago, the Scarlet Grosbeak Carpodacus erythrinus was one of those birds that (supposedly) you had to go to Fair Isle to see. It was there, on 13th September 1951, that I visually devoured my first dumpy, oddly amorphous but beady-eyed example, as it clumped about in the same crop as an immature Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala. Both were presented to me by the late Professor Maury Meiklejohn, with the nerve-wracking enjoinder ‘I can see the rosefinch’s bill and wingbars, Ian, but you will have to help with the bunting. I need to know its rump and vent colours. I’m colour blind.’ That night, the late Ken Williamson commented ‘Grosbeaks are classic drift migrants’ and I remember, too, some discussion between him and the other senior observers concerning the (then still unusual) cross-Baltic movements to Sweden in spring. Not for a moment, however, did they consider that the species would one day breed in Britain. In 1992, when the Common Rosefinch, as it is now called, bred successfully at Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire and on the Suffolk coast, its addition to the regular breeding birds of Britain seemed imminent. No such event has ensued. Since the late 1970s, the number of British and Irish records has grown so noticeably in spring that this trend, and particularly the 1992 influx, are likely to be associated with the much-increased breeding population of southern Fenno-Scandia.
    [Show full text]
  • House Finch (Carpodacus Mexicanus)1
    Archival copy: for current recommendations see http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu or your local extension office. WEC 253 Florida's Introduced Birds: House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus)1 Steve A. Johnson and Jill Sox2 A wide variety of non-native birds have been introduced in Florida—perhaps as many as 200 species! Of these, at least 14 introduced species are considered established, according to various authorities, and some are now considered invasive and could have serious impacts in Florida. This fact sheet introduces the House Finch, and is one of a series of fact sheets about Florida's established non-native birds and their impacts on our native ecosystems, economy, and the quality of life of Floridians. For more information on Florida's introduced birds, how they got here, and the problems they cause, read "Florida's Introduced Birds: An Overview" (http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/UW297) and the Figure 1. Male House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus) other fact sheets in this series, Credits: Ken Thomas http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ long with a wingspan of 8–10 inches (20–25 cm) topic_series_floridas_introduced_birds. and weigh approximately 1 ounce (25 g). Both males and females have brown back and wing feathers with Species Description dark streaks and white tips, and their belly or The House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus) is a underside is white and heavily streaked with brown. member of the finch family (Fringillidae), which are House Finches have black eyes, dark brown legs, and small, seed-eating songbirds. These sparrow-like a short, brown beak with an arched top edge. The birds are common visitors to backyard bird feeders.
    [Show full text]
  • NEWS and NOTES by Paul Hess
    NEWS AND NOTES by Paul Hess “Lilian’s” Meadowlark für Ornithologie 135:28), but no details about the findings have been published. Ornithologist Harry C. Oberholser was intrigued by mead - At last, a large-scale genetic report by F. Keith Barker, Ar - owlarks collected in 1929 near Arizona’s Huachuca Moun - ion J. Vandergon, and Scott M. Lanyon arrived in 2008 tains, because their size, structure, and plumage differed (Auk 125:869–879). They examined two mitochondrial from those of the Western Meadowlark and from known DNA (mtDNA) genes and one nuclear locus in 14 Eastern variations of Eastern Meadowlark. In 1930 he described the Meadowlark subspecies throughout the North American, specimens as a new Eastern Meadowlark subspecies and Central American, and South American range. named it lilianae to honor Lilian Baldwin, who had donat - The results indicate a long history of evolutionary diver - ed the collection ( Scientific Publications of the Cleveland Mu - gence between lilianae and all except one other Eastern seum of Natural History 1:83–124). Meadowlark subspecies, auropectoralis of central and We now know it as “Lilian’s” Meadowlark, of desert grasslands in the southwestern U.S. and northern Mexico, where it is distinguishable from Western Meadowlark with careful study by eye and ear. In identification guides, lilianae re - ceived little attention and no illustration until the National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America in 1983. Kevin J. Zimmer of - fered tips in Birding (August 1984, pp. 155–156) and in his books The Western Bird Watcher (Prentice-Hall 1985) and Birding in the American West (Cornell University Press 2000).
    [Show full text]
  • Purple Finch (Carpodacus Purpureus) David Ewert
    Purple Finch (Carpodacus purpureus) David Ewert Hartwick Pines State Park, Crawford Co., MI May, 2009 © Willie McHale (Click to view a comparison of Atlas I to II) The Purple Finch, similar in appearance to the Distribution The breeding distribution of the Purple Finch in House Finch, is relatively well known because it Michigan seems to have changed very little frequents bird feeders. The raspberry to pinkish since Barrows (1912) described it as a "not colored males are often accompanied by heavily uncommon summer resident" north of the streaked brown females and young males. Saginaw and Grand River Valleys, including the Purple Finches are distinguished from House UP and islands in Lake Michigan, with Finches by their thicker streaks and, for males, occasional breeding in southern Michigan. by their pinkish plumage unlike the reddish Wood (1951) described a similar breeding plumage of House Finches. During the breeding distribution although he was skeptical of season, their musical and varied songs enrich breeding reports from the Lansing and the morning orchestra of bird song whose other Kalamazoo areas. Purple Finches have been players often include the Winter Wren, White- reported during the breeding season on the throated Sparrow, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak. following islands: Isle Royale in Lake Superior, Purple Finches are common breeders in the UP Beaver Island, and the Fox and Manitou Islands and northern LP in coniferous and mixed in Lake Michigan (Barrows 1912, Wood 1951, forests. The Purple Finch breeds in coniferous Bowen and Seefelt 2002), and Bois Blanc Island and mixed forests from southeastern Yukon in Lake Huron (MBBA II).
    [Show full text]
  • New Hampshire Wildlife and Habitats at Risk
    CHAPTER TWO New Hampshire Wildlife and Habitats at Risk Abstract All wildlife species native to New Hampshire were eligible for identification as Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN), including game species, non-game species, fish and marine animals. A number of species prioritization lists and expert review processes were used to determine which species should be included as SGCN. A total of 169 species are identified as SGCN in the 2015 Wildlife Action Plan, of which 27 species are listed as state endangered and 14 listed as state threatened. In the 2005 Wildlife Action Plan 118 species were listed as SGCN, and all but 13 of the 2005 SGCN are included in the 2015 revision. The Wildlife Action Plan also identifies 27 distinct habitats that support both common species and species of greatest conservation need. By identifying and protecting high quality examples of all of New Hampshire’s natural communities, all of the state’s native wildlife species will have access to intact habitats. Overview New Hampshire is home to over 500 vertebrate species and thousands of invertebrates. Many of these are common species that thrive in the state’s diverse landscapes and provide enjoyment through wildlife observation, hunting, fishing, and trapping. This chapter describes the process of determining which species are in trouble – declining in numbers, squeezed into smaller patches of habitat, and threatened by a host of issues. These species are designated as Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN). They include not only species on the NH Endangered Species list, but also those that are not yet seriously threatened.
    [Show full text]
  • (Zoology) Animal Kingdom Vertebrates
    Animal Kingdom Vertebrates DR. DIWAKAR MISHRA Department of Zoology Government Girls’ P. G. College Ghazipur-233001 (UP), India What is a Chordate? All chordates have 4 basic features that are present at some point during their life cycle – Hollow Nerve Cord – Nerve cord in which nerves branch out at regular intervals – Notochord – Long supporting rod that runs throughout body – Pharyngeal Pouches – Paired structures in throat – Muscular Tail – Extends beyond anus Only 4-5% of animals are chordates Examples = Fish, Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds Chordate Cladogram Section 30-1 Mammals Birds Reptiles Amphibians Fishes Nonvertebrate chordates Invertebrate ancestor The Generalized Structure of a Chordate Section 30-1 Notochord Muscle segments Hollow nerve cord Anus Tail Mouth Pharyngeal pouches Fish – Basic Facts Fish live in nearly every single aquatic habitat imaginable Fish are aquatic vertebrates characterized by fins, scales, and gills Fish were the first vertebrates to evolve. Fish bring in Oxygen rich water through gills and remove oxygen poor water through gill slits Closed circulatory system Four chambered heart Swim bladder controls buoyancy Most are egg laying Most move by contracting opposite muscles (S Shaped) Groups of Fish Jawless Fish – – Have mouths of soft tissue with no true teeth. – Have no bones – Only vertebrates with no vertebral column as adults – Lampreys, Hagfish Chondrichthyes – – Skeleton built entirely of cartilage – Sharks, sea rays Osteichthyes – – Bony Fish – Majority of fish fall in this order
    [Show full text]
  • The Nominate Subspecies of the Purple Finch in California and Western North America Cameron L
    THE NOMINATE SUBSPECIES OF THE PURPLE FINCH IN CALIFORNIA AND WESTERN NORTH AMERICA CAMERON L. RUTT, School of Renewable Natural Resources, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803; [email protected] PETER PYLE, The Institute for Bird Populations, P. O. Box 1346, Point Reyes Sta- tion, California 94956; [email protected] PAUL W. COLLINS, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, 2559 Puesta Del Sol, Santa Barbara, California 93105; [email protected] MATTHEW L. BRADY, Museum of Natural Science, 119 Foster Hall, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803; [email protected] JAMES R. TIETZ, Point Blue Conservation Science, 3820 Cypress Drive, Suite 11, Petaluma, California 94954; [email protected] JON L. DUNN, 24 Idaho St., Bishop, California 93514; [email protected] ABSTRACT: The Purple Finch (Haemorhous purpureus) is most often recognized as comprising two distinct subspecies: purpureus, breeding and wintering through most of Canada and the eastern United States, and californicus, reported to be largely resident along the Pacific coast, from British Columbia to southern California. Although the migratory purpureus is the subspecies expected as a vagrant in Alaska and the interior West, the identity of the subspecies occurring in these regions has been poorly documented. Here we document the first records of purpureus for California and assess the subspecies of the Purple Finch from photographs and specimens throughout western North America. Nominate purpureus occurs regularly in the western Great Plains states and very sparsely farther west. H. p. californicus may be more prone to vagrancy than previously suspected, as we document the first records for Alaska, Colorado, and New Mexico.
    [Show full text]
  • Let's Go Birding!
    The American Birding Association Code of Birding Ethics—Section 1 Everyone who enjoys birds and birding must always respect wildlife, its environment, and the rights of others. In any conflict of interest between birds and birders, the welfare of the birds and their environment comes first. 1. Promote the welfare of birds and their environment. 1(a) Support the protection of important bird habitat. 1(b) To avoid stressing birds or exposing them to danger, exercise restraint and caution during observation, photography, sound recording, or filming. Limit the use of recordings and other methods of attracting birds, and never use such methods in heavily birded areas, or for attracting any species that is Threatened, Endangered, or of Special Concern, or is rare in your local area. Keep well back from nests and nesting colonies, roosts, display areas, and important feeding sites. In such sensitive areas, if there is a need for extended observation, photography, filming, or recording, try to use a blind or hide, and take advantage of natural cover. Use artificial light sparingly for filming or photography, especially for close-ups. 1(c) Before advertising the presence of a rare bird, evaluate the potential for disturbance to the bird, its surroundings, and other people in the area, and proceed only if access can be controlled, disturbance minimized, and permission has been obtained from private landowners. The sites of rare nesting birds should be divulged only to the proper conservation authorities. 1(d) Stay on roads, trails, and paths where they exist; otherwise keep habitat disturbance to a minimum. The entire ABA Code of Birding Ethics (Sections 1–4) is available online at http://www.aba.org/ethics.
    [Show full text]
  • Forest Passerine Species Management System
    FOREST PASSERINE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM Thomas P. Hodgman Bird Group Wildlife Resource Assessment Section Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife 650 State St., Bangor ME 04401 FINAL: 3 June 2003 Forest Passerine Management System TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................3 MANAGEMENT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ..................................................................4 MANAGEMENT DECISION-MAKING PROCESS ...........................................................6 POPULATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM ......................................................................7 HABITAT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM ............................................................................19 OUTREACH MANAGEMENT SYSTEM .......................................................................25 REFERENCES ..............................................................................................................28 LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE 1. Flow diagram depicting decision criteria for Population Management System for forest Passerines in Maine ...................................8 FIGURE 2. Flow diagram depicting decision criteria for Habitat Management System for forest Passerines in Maine .................................20 FIGURE 3. Flow diagram depicting decision criteria for Outreach Management System for forest Passerines in Maine .................................27 LIST OF APPENDICES APPENDIX 1. Forest Passerines found in Maine..........................................................30
    [Show full text]
  • Birds of Toronto
    i BIRDS OF TORONTO A GUIDE TO THEIR REMARKABLE WORLD • City of Toronto Biodiversity Series • Imagine a Toronto with flourishing natural habitats and an urban environment made safe for a great diversity of wildlife species. Envision a city whose residents treasure their daily encounters with the remarkable and inspiring world of nature, and the variety of plants and animals who share this world. Take pride in a Toronto that aspires to be a world leader in the development of urban initiatives that will be critical to the preservation of our flora and fauna. Cover photo: Jean Iron A flock of Whimbrel viewed from Colonel Samuel Smith Park on 23 May 2007 frames the Toronto skyline. Since the early 20th century, Toronto ornithologists have noted the unique and impressive spring migration of Whimbrel past the city’s waterfront within a narrow 22 – 27 May time frame. In this short stretch of May, literally thousands of Whimbrel migrate past Toronto each spring between their South American wintering grounds and their breeding grounds on the tundra coast of the Hudson Bay Lowlands. In some years, as much as one quarter of the entire eastern North American population is witnessed passing along the Lake Ontario shoreline. Afforded protection by the Migratory Birds Convention Act of 1917, its population is probably still rebounding from intense market hunting pressure in the 19th century. City of Toronto © 2011 American Woodcock ISBN 978-1-895739-67-1 Barry Kent MacKay 1 “Indeed, in its need for variety and acceptance of randomness, a flourishing TABLE OF CONTENTS natural ecosystem is more like a city than like a plantation.
    [Show full text]
  • Winter Bird Highlights 2011, Is Brought to You by Project and Other Food Items for the Winter
    Focus on citizen science • Volume 7 Winter BirdHighlights Winter F rom Project FeederWatch 2010–11 rom ProjectFeederWatch he season for storing food is coming to an end, and individual chickadees, nuthatches, tit- Focus on Citizen Science is a publication highlight- mice, and jays have cached thousands of seeds ing the contributions of citizen scientists. This issue, T Winter Bird Highlights 2011, is brought to you by Project and other food items for the winter. They are ready. FeederWatch, a research and education project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Bird Studies Canada. Are you? The 25th anniversary season of Project Project FeederWatch is made possible by the efforts and support of thousands of citizen scientists. FeederWatch is upon us, and we eagerly await the sur- prises that are in store for us this coming winter. Has Project FeederWatch Staff David Bonter the march of the Eurasian Collared-Dove across North Project Leader, USA Janis Dickinson America progressed? Will Evening Grosbeaks con- Director of Citizen Science, USA Kristine Dobney tinue to fade from our memories? Which species will Project Assistant, Canada show up in a completely unexpected location, look- Wesley Hochachka Senior Research Associate, USA ing for a handout from a lucky FeederWatcher? Each Anne Marie Johnson Project Assistant, USA season brings mystery, wonder, and joy to our feeders. Rosie Kirton Project Support, Canada Whether you are new to FeederWatching or have been Denis Lepage with us for a quarter of a century, we encourage you Senior Scientist, Canada Susan E. Newman to sit back, take a close look, and enjoy the marvelous Project Assistant, USA Kerrie Wilcox birds at your feeders this winter.
    [Show full text]